South Sound unemployment rises in January after seasonal job cuts

South Sound employers cut jobs after the holiday shopping season, which resulted in higher Pierce and Thurston County unemployment rates in January, according to state Employment Security Department data released Tuesday.

The Pierce County jobless rate rose to 6.7 percent in January from 6.2 percent in December, while in Thurston County it rose to 6.3 percent from 5.9 percent over the same period.

Pierce County shed 3,900 jobs in the December to January period, including 1,500 in retail trade. Thurston County shed 200 jobs in the same period. The county posted a gain of 500 jobs in government to coincide with the start of the Legislative session, but shed 700 jobs in retail trade, said Jim Vleming, a regional economist with the state.

In the past year — January 2015 to January 2016 — the jobs picture was brighter in both counties. Pierce County added 8,400 jobs, translating into an employment growth rate of 2.9 percent, he said. Thurston County added 3,400 jobs in the same period, a employment growth rate of 3.2 percent, Vleming said.

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